If you want your clothes to last as long as possible and save money at the same time, it’s worth the effort to learn how to launder your clothes in the most efficient manner. Financial site Finance is Personal has a few tips on how to accomplish this: set the right temp for the right clothes, don’t wash everything as soon as you take it off (unless it truly needs it), and make your own detergent. What’s your favorite efficient laundry tip? Let’s hear it in the comments.

Spruce up the look of your bedroom quickly and cheaply with a headboard made out of wallpaper and poster board. You don’t have to pick wallpaper that reminds you of Aunt Edie’s house, either – many companies carry wallpaper that is very modern looking (if you’re into that sort of thing). Home improvement site Ray’s House Help has the simple instructions; this would be a great way to instantly improve the ambiance in your boudoir…well, at least match your bedding color scheme.

If you have a journal/notebook, you can make your entries more productive with a simple plan of what you want your journal to record. Self-improvement blogger Allen Galbraith has come up with a good list of ten general journal topics – think of these as outlines for thoughts you can develop more fully. Journals are meant to be somewhat free-flowing, but I find that I work better (and more creatively) with just a little bit of structure. This is a good list of ideas, but do you see anything missing? Thoughts in the comments.

Having fun in the workplace seems like a oxymoron. However, engineer Dave Cheong postulates that having fun at your place of work is not only good for team building, but it makes for more productivity. There are many ways that employers can make the office a bit more enjoyable; appreciation for work well done, compliments where compliments are due, etc. Work doesn’t have to be one big party, but a little bit of par-tay can sure make the workday go more smoothly. Are you a happy worker bee? Tell us why or why not in the comments.

Get some much needed relaxation by turning your bathroom into a spa – no major financial outlay required. Budget blog Wise Bread has made a list of bathroom-into-spa ideas that granted, won’t turn your bathroom into the MGM Grand, but they’ll definitely make it a place you’ll want to visit more often. Pedicure supplies, special shower heads, color schemes – all of this and more can not only make your bathroom more spa-like, but FYI? If you’re looking to sell your house, this is the way to go to make your bathroom really pop.

We all know that exercise is good for us, and the New York Times reports that exercise can make your brain process information faster and more efficiently:

Scientists have been finding more evidence that the human brain is not only capable of renewing itself but that exercise speeds the process. “We’ve always known that our brains control our behavior,” Gage says, “but not that our behavior could control and change the structure of our brains.”

If this isn’t a good enough reason to get on that damn treadmill tomorrow morning, I don’t know what is. Personally, I know my brain definitely is more “alert” when I get regular exercise; I’m able to think better with less brain fog. How has your brain benefited from exercise? Let’s hear in the comments.

Better your photography skills with tips and techniques from expert photogs by joining the Nikon Digital Learning group on Flickr. I’ve only been in this group for a day, but already I’ve gleaned a lot of useful information. You can take on photo assignments to help you improve your shots, try expert techniques, get feedback on your photos, and a lot more. For anyone who’s looking to make their photography better, this is a very low-pressure place to do it.